diff --git a/src/Compositor.cpp b/src/Compositor.cpp
index 18bdaaab..26565b18 100644
--- a/src/Compositor.cpp
+++ b/src/Compositor.cpp
@@ -285,6 +285,10 @@ void CCompositor::cleanup() {
 
     m_bIsShuttingDown = true;
 
+    // unload all remaining plugins while the compositor is
+    // still in a normal working state.
+    g_pPluginSystem->unloadAllPlugins();
+
     m_pLastFocus  = nullptr;
     m_pLastWindow = nullptr;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/PluginSystem.cpp b/src/plugins/PluginSystem.cpp
index 5b15782d..73de9bf5 100644
--- a/src/plugins/PluginSystem.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/PluginSystem.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "PluginSystem.hpp"
 
 #include <dlfcn.h>
+#include <ranges>
 #include "../Compositor.hpp"
 
 CPluginSystem::CPluginSystem() {
@@ -113,6 +114,11 @@ void CPluginSystem::unloadPlugin(const CPlugin* plugin, bool eject) {
     std::erase_if(m_vLoadedPlugins, [&](const auto& other) { return other->m_pHandle == plugin->m_pHandle; });
 }
 
+void CPluginSystem::unloadAllPlugins() {
+    for (auto& p : m_vLoadedPlugins | std::views::reverse)
+        unloadPlugin(p.get(), false); // Unload remaining plugins gracefully
+}
+
 CPlugin* CPluginSystem::getPluginByPath(const std::string& path) {
     for (auto& p : m_vLoadedPlugins) {
         if (p->path == path)
@@ -136,4 +142,4 @@ std::vector<CPlugin*> CPluginSystem::getAllPlugins() {
     for (size_t i = 0; i < m_vLoadedPlugins.size(); ++i)
         results[i] = m_vLoadedPlugins[i].get();
     return results;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/plugins/PluginSystem.hpp b/src/plugins/PluginSystem.hpp
index 041ee47e..5d1a1532 100644
--- a/src/plugins/PluginSystem.hpp
+++ b/src/plugins/PluginSystem.hpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class CPluginSystem {
 
     CPlugin*              loadPlugin(const std::string& path);
     void                  unloadPlugin(const CPlugin* plugin, bool eject = false);
+    void                  unloadAllPlugins();
     CPlugin*              getPluginByPath(const std::string& path);
     CPlugin*              getPluginByHandle(HANDLE handle);
     std::vector<CPlugin*> getAllPlugins();
@@ -41,4 +42,4 @@ class CPluginSystem {
     jmp_buf                               m_jbPluginFaultJumpBuf;
 };
 
-inline std::unique_ptr<CPluginSystem> g_pPluginSystem;
\ No newline at end of file
+inline std::unique_ptr<CPluginSystem> g_pPluginSystem;